# 🚀 QUICK START - Read This First!

**Deadline**: February 15, 2026 (31 days from today, January 12)

---

## 📖 How to Use These Planning Documents

You now have **3 comprehensive planning documents**. Here's how to use them:

### 1️⃣ **DEADLINE_GAMEPLAN.md** - Read ONCE at the start
- **When**: Read it today (Sunday, January 12)
- **Why**: Understand the big picture and strategy
- **Time**: 15-20 minutes

### 2️⃣ **DAILY_CHECKLIST.md** - Check EVERY morning
- **When**: Every single day at the start of your work session
- **Why**: Know exactly what to do today
- **Time**: 2-3 minutes to review
- **Action**: Check off items as you complete them

### 3️⃣ **CHAPTER_GUIDE.md** - Reference while writing
- **When**: Keep open while writing each chapter
- **Why**: Detailed guide on what to write in each section
- **Time**: Reference as needed throughout the day
- **Action**: Copy example LaTeX code, follow structure

---

## ⚡ START TODAY (Sunday, January 12)

Even though the official "Day 1" is tomorrow (Monday, January 16), you can get a head start TODAY:

### Today's Quick Wins (2-3 hours):
- [ ] Read this entire quick start guide (5 min)
- [ ] Read DEADLINE_GAMEPLAN.md overview (15 min)
- [ ] Check if NVIDIA Nsight is installed on your computer
  - If not, download it: https://developer.nvidia.com/nsight-graphics
  - Start installation (may take 30-60 minutes)
- [ ] Document your test hardware specs (15 min)
  - Run `lscpu` for CPU info
  - Run `nvidia-smi` for GPU info
  - Run `free -h` for RAM info
  - Save to a text file
- [ ] Open both Unity and Unreal bullet-hell projects (15 min)
  - Verify they still run correctly
  - Note current Unity version
  - Note current Unreal version
- [ ] Start drafting Chapter 4 methodology (1-2 hours)
  - Add hardware specs
  - Add software versions
  - Describe test scenarios you plan to run

**If you do this today, you'll be ahead of schedule! 🎉**

---

## 🎯 The Critical Path (What Matters Most)

If you only focus on 3 things, make it these:

### 1. **Week 1: Get the Data** (Most Important!)
Without performance data from NVIDIA Nsight, you have no thesis. This is THE critical week.

**Your entire Week 1 focus**: Run tests, collect metrics, create graphs.

### 2. **Week 2: Write the Analysis**
Take your data and write Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8. This is where you explain what the data means.

### 3. **Week 3: Polish Everything**
Make it look professional, fix errors, add bibliography, create nice figures.

Week 4 is buffer time and final submission prep.

---

## ⏰ Daily Work Schedule Recommendation

### Best Schedule:
```
Weekdays (Mon-Thu): 4 hours
09:00-09:15   Check DAILY_CHECKLIST.md, plan your day
09:15-13:15   DEEP WORK (4 hours focused work)
              OR
14:00-18:00   DEEP WORK (4 hours focused work - if afternoon works better)

Weekends (Fri-Sun): 8 hours
09:00-09:15   Check DAILY_CHECKLIST.md, plan your day
09:15-13:00   DEEP WORK SESSION 1 (4 hours)
13:00-14:00   Lunch break (actually rest!)
14:00-18:00   DEEP WORK SESSION 2 (4 hours)
```

**Total**: 4 hours/day weekdays, 8 hours/day weekends

### Pomodoro Technique (Highly Recommended):
- Work: 25 minutes of pure focus
- Break: 5 minutes (walk, stretch, water)
- Repeat 4x
- Long break: 15-30 minutes
- Repeat

**Tool**: Use https://pomofocus.io/ or any timer app

---

## 📊 What Success Looks Like Each Week

### End of Week 1 ✅
You should have:
- 5-10 Nsight captures from Unity game
- 5-10 Nsight captures from Unreal game
- Data exported to spreadsheet/CSV
- 4-6 graphs created
- Chapter 5 drafted (200+ lines)
- Chapter 4 expanded (150+ lines)

### End of Week 2 ✅
You should have:
- All core chapters (4-8) complete in draft form
- All major arguments made
- All data analyzed
- Clear recommendations written

### End of Week 3 ✅
You should have:
- Complete, readable thesis PDF
- All figures polished
- Bibliography complete
- Appendices created
- Thesis sent to advisor for review

### End of Week 4 ✅
You should have:
- Final, submitted thesis! 🎓

---

## 🔥 Common Pitfalls to Avoid

### ❌ DON'T:
1. **Don't start writing without data** - Get Nsight data first!
2. **Don't perfectionism-block** - Done > Perfect
3. **Don't skip daily review** - Check DAILY_CHECKLIST.md every morning
4. **Don't work 12+ hour days** - You'll burn out
5. **Don't skip sleep/food** - Your brain needs fuel
6. **Don't ignore advisor** - Send draft by Feb 6 at latest
7. **Don't procrastinate Week 1** - It's the most critical

### ✅ DO:
1. **Start with hardest task** each day
2. **Use Pomodoro technique** for focus
3. **Track your progress** daily
4. **Take real breaks** (walk, exercise)
5. **Back up your work** multiple times daily
6. **Ask for help** when stuck
7. **Celebrate small wins** each day

---

## 🆘 If You Get Stuck

### Problem: "I don't know what to write in Chapter X"
**Solution**: Open CHAPTER_GUIDE.md and read the section for that chapter. It has detailed instructions and examples.

### Problem: "NVIDIA Nsight isn't working"
**Solution**: 
1. Check NVIDIA forums: https://forums.developer.nvidia.com/
2. Use Unity/Unreal built-in profilers as backup (document limitations)
3. Ask on GitHub Issues in your repo

### Problem: "I'm behind schedule"
**Solution**: 
1. Check CHAPTER_GUIDE.md "Priority Order" section
2. Focus on Chapters 5, 7, 8 first (the core)
3. Chapters 4 and 6 can be shorter if needed
4. Appendices are nice-to-have, not essential

### Problem: "I'm overwhelmed"
**Solution**:
1. Take a 15-minute break RIGHT NOW
2. Come back and look at JUST TODAY in DAILY_CHECKLIST.md
3. Focus on completing ONE task at a time
4. Don't think about the whole thesis, just the next 2 hours

### Problem: "The data doesn't show what I expected"
**Solution**: 
1. That's OK! Science is about truth, not confirmation
2. Write what you actually found
3. Explain why results might differ from expectations
4. This actually makes your thesis MORE credible

---

## 💾 Backup Strategy (CRITICAL!)

### Every Day:
- [ ] Git commit and push (use report_progress)
- [ ] Copy thesis folder to USB drive or external hard drive
- [ ] Upload latest PDF to cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)

### Why This Matters:
Losing your thesis 2 days before deadline is a nightmare scenario. **Back up EVERY day!**

---

## 📱 Tools You Should Have Ready

### Essential:
- [x] NVIDIA Nsight Graphics (get it today!)
- [x] LaTeX editor (or use Overleaf: https://www.overleaf.com/)
- [x] Spreadsheet software (LibreOffice Calc, Excel, or Google Sheets)
- [x] Graph creation tool (Python matplotlib, Excel, or online tools)
- [x] Timer/Pomodoro app

### Nice to Have:
- [ ] Grammarly or LanguageTool (for proofreading)
- [ ] Git GUI (GitKraken, GitHub Desktop)
- [ ] Mind mapping tool (for organizing ideas)

---

## 🎓 Academic Writing Quick Tips

### For Performance Results (Chapter 5):
```latex
% BAD:
Unreal was faster.

% GOOD:
Jak przedstawiono w Tabeli 5.1, Unreal Engine osiągnęło średni czas 
klatki 6.9 ms, co stanowi poprawę o 17% w porównaniu do Unity (8.3 ms) 
w scenariuszu średniej trudności.
```

### For Conclusions (Chapter 8):
```latex
% BAD:
Unity jest lepsze dla początkujących.

% GOOD:
Na podstawie przeprowadzonych wywiadów oraz analizy dokumentacji, 
Unity wykazuje niższy próg wejścia dla początkujących deweloperów. 
Respondenci z mniej niż 2-letnim doświadczeniem w branży (n=3) 
jednogłośnie wskazali Unity jako bardziej przystępne, głównie ze 
względu na obszerną dokumentację (por. Rozdział X) oraz większą 
dostępność materiałów edukacyjnych w języku polskim.
```

### Always:
- Cite your sources: `\cite{author2024}`
- Reference your tables: `Tabela \ref{tab:results}`
- Reference your figures: `Rysunek \ref{fig:comparison}`
- Use data to support claims

---

## 🎯 Your First 24 Hours (Action Plan)

### Today (Sunday, Jan 12) - Optional but Recommended:
- [x] Read this quick start guide ← You're doing it!
- [ ] Install NVIDIA Nsight Graphics
- [ ] Document hardware specifications
- [ ] Verify Unity and Unreal games run
- [ ] Start drafting Chapter 4 methodology section

### Tomorrow (Monday, Jan 16) - Week 1, Day 1:
- [ ] Check DAILY_CHECKLIST.md morning
- [ ] Open NVIDIA Nsight, familiarize with interface
- [ ] Create test scenario document
- [ ] Run first 2-3 Nsight captures on Unity game
- [ ] Continue expanding Chapter 4

### This Week's Goal:
By Sunday January 19, you should have ALL performance data collected and Chapter 5 drafted. This is the foundation of your entire thesis.

---

## 🎉 Milestone Celebrations

Seriously, celebrate your progress! It helps motivation.

### When you finish Week 1:
- Take Monday off or work light hours
- Do something fun
- You deserve it - you'll have done the hardest work!

### When you finish Week 2:
- Treat yourself to something nice
- The thesis is basically done at this point!

### When you finish Week 3:
- Relax a bit
- Week 4 is just polish

### When you submit:
- PARTY! 🎉🎊🍾
- You're officially a Master of Science!

---

## 📞 Remember

**You're not alone in this!**
- Your advisor: dr inż. Michał Chwesiuk (use them!)
- Your friends and family (for moral support)
- Online communities (for technical help)
- This game plan (for structure)

---

## 🔮 Final Thoughts

**You can absolutely do this in 31 days.**

You've already done 60% of the work:
- ✅ Games are built
- ✅ Interviews are complete
- ✅ Most chapters are drafted
- ✅ You know your topic well

The remaining 40% is **systematic work**:
1. Collect data (Week 1)
2. Analyze data (Week 2)
3. Polish (Week 3)
4. Submit (Week 4)

Each week has a clear goal. Each day has specific tasks. You just need to:
1. Show up
2. Follow the plan
3. Do the work

**Consistency beats intensity.**
5 hours average per day for 31 days = 144 hours of work
That's MORE than enough to finish a master's thesis.

---

## ✅ Final Checklist for TODAY

Before you close this document:
- [ ] I've read and understood the game plan
- [ ] I know which documents to check daily (DAILY_CHECKLIST.md)
- [ ] I know where to find writing guidance (CHAPTER_GUIDE.md)
- [ ] I've installed or am installing NVIDIA Nsight
- [ ] I have a backup strategy in place
- [ ] I'm ready to start Week 1 tomorrow (or today!)
- [ ] I believe I can finish this thesis on time! 💪

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**Now go and do your best work! You've got this! 🚀🎓**

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*Last updated: January 12, 2026*
*Days remaining: 31*
*Let's make this happen!*
